By MerriLee LindburgIt’s an event that celebrates accomplished, talented musicians and record-breaking artists. The 58th Annual Grammy Awards were on Feb. 15 and drew in 24.9 million viewers. There were 19 performances and 83 awards given out. Taylor Swift kicked off the night with her song “Out of the Woods” and Billboard.com called it one of her best award show vocal performances to date. Her shimmery outfit and passionate vocals left everyone in awe of her ability to put on a show. Maybe I’m a little biased because Taylor is my QUEEN, but it was no doubt the best way to start the show. Swift also won Album of the Year with her newly pop-spun record, “1989.”Justin Bieber not only won his first Grammy but also sang a humble version of his hit “Love Yourself” then transitioned into “Where Are U Now” with DJs Diplo and Skrillex that created a dance vibe throughout the Staples Center where the show took place. I liked the “Love Yourself” portion of his performance more because he sang it in a way that was different than the studio version but was still beautiful.James Bay and Tori Kelly were both nominated for Best New Artist (Meghan Trainor ended up taking home the title). They strummed their guitars and sang to Kelly’s “Hollow” and Bay’s “Let It Go.” It was a performance that showcased their incredible voices, without any big show.Carrie Underwood and Sam Hunt sang “Take Your Time” and “Heartbeat.” Hunt was also nominated for Best New Artist. I’m not a country fan myself, but I didn’t mind Hunt and Underwood’s performance because it didn’t seem all that country. Little Big Town sang their heartbreaking ballad “Girl Crush” with a full string-section accompanying them.Adele managed to blow people away even with the technical difficulties that occurred during her performance of “All I Ask.” There were issues with the mic on the piano as well as her own mic that lead her to be out of tune. Despite that, people were impressed with her amazing vocals and how she was able to keep her composure.Billboard.com’s number one ranked performance was Kendrick Lamar’s “The Blacker Berry” and “Alright.” It was politically fueled and definitely made a statement.To all the Broadway fans out there: I’m sure you were very excited to see the iconic Hamilton not only win a Grammy, but see the cast perform live from the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.There were some emotional tributes as well: Lady Gaga’s David Bowie tribute, as well as Stevie Wonder and Pentatonix’s tribute to Maurice White. Multiple artists took part in a tribute for Lionel Richie, with Richie himself joining them at the end. Chris Stapleton, Bonnie Raitt and Gary Clark Jr. honored B.B. King by performing "The Thrill Is Gone.”

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konah blog

This blog consists of posts written by students who are members of the Konah staff. Opinions do not reflect the MCPS District views on topics and are the opinion of the individual student writer. ​This blog was created by the 2015-2016 Konah Staff.